The Foreign Workers' Program Hoopla

This program has been front and centre in the media for a while now, here in Alberta, anyway.  There always seems to be a shortage of workers for the service industry.  Apparently, we have 70,000 foreign workers Alberta wide.  That's a lot of temporary people from other countries, when certain areas of our own country have many unemployed people. 

I think we should "import" our own from other provinces before we bring in others from different countries.  I'd be willing to bet many of these employers haven't even tried recruiting from areas of Canada where unemployment rates are high.  We lived in an Eastern province, with higher unemployment rates.  Never once saw an advertisement workers were needed in the service industry in other provinces while we were there.  I understand (could be wrong) that recruited Canadians are required to pay their own way here, find affordable housing, etc.  These things are done for TFW's.  How is this fair? 

This is why so many Canadians are against the program.  It isn't about race.  Not even the language barrier (although this can be annoying, it isn't the end of the world).  Or the different religious beliefs brought into our country (unless, of course, you expect us to change the fabric of Canada's traditions for them).  After all, many of us stem from immigrants, as well.  It's about unfair treatment.

I constantly hear how Alberta employers have exhausted their resources locally and choose to pursue TFW.  Locally shouldn't be good enough.  If country-wide resources have been exhausted, that's when TFW should be utilized.  Not before.  Plain and simple.  Let's look after our own.

I'm tired of our country helping other countries without being willing to help our own.  Time to change that.

Fuck You, Type 1 Diabetes

This is one of those days I wished T1 diabetes would listen and take a flying leap off the tallest cliff, never to return. 

Go in to wake my daughter for school and she tells me she feels like throwing up. In the T1 camp, this is bad because it can signify the beginning of DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis). DKA is a condition where blood sugars have risen too high and the body starts to break down other tissue to essentially feed the body -- even though there is a lot of glucose (or food) in the bloodstream already but no insulin to help the body process the glucose. 

Mom goes into overdrive, grabs the meter for blood sugar and the meter to test for ketones: blood sugar was 28.5; ketones 3.5. None of those numbers are good. Check infusion site. No longer attached. Shit, shit, shit. Check the cheat sheet and draw appropriate amount of insulin into syringe. Bent the needle. Start again and get it right the second time. Inject my girl. She hates injections. I can't describe the look of resignation and hopelessness on her face when she absolutely must have one. All I know is my heart is ripped out, thrown forcefully on the floor and stomped on by the diabetes giant that controls her body. 

It's now almost eight hours later. Blood sugar is back in range, trace ketones and a girl who is feeling a bit better but still looks awful. 

This doesn't get easier with time; 3 1/2 years in and it still hurts to see my daughter so sick. Hurts a little more every time she gets this sick. Makes me ill to have to watch her suffer. 

But you know what truly bothers me?  I'm in the diabetes world on a sojourn. One day, my girl will grow up and take over full diabetes management. One day, I'll get a break. 

She will NEVER get a break from this fucking disease. It'll be with her forever causing havoc, no matter how skilled she gets at managing it. 

So, today, it's fuck you, Type 1 Diabetes, fuck you. 

The Hierarchy of Equality

The other evening, I went with my oldest daughter to our local high school, which I attended, um, twenty-ish years ago. Shh.  Don't tell people I'm that old, 'cause in my mind I'm still eighteen most days! 

After the information session, she and I wandered the halls.  They've changed very little.  Even the lockers are the same colour.  Yes, really.  I gave a running commentary as we walked:  cool kids' hallway; geeks, nerds and not so smart kids' hallway; middle kids' hallway.  Showed her where my locker was:  geeks, nerds and not so smart kids' hallway.  Now I did this commentary in a funny way.  She giggled and smiled the entire time, but it got me to wondering if the hierarchy has changed.  Is there more equality and less social "class" than twenty years ago?  I questioned my nephews who currently attend this high school; and, no, it has not.  Same hallways.  Just a new generation.  A few different descriptions for the same class of people.

Grande Prairie is -- and always has been -- a city who places high importance on societal status.  You must be from a certain family.  Your family must have certain "things" and live in a certain neighborhood.  Your family must have the appearance of being "moneyed", even if they are in debt past their eyeballs.  You must also know certain business owners or families who have long been in this area.  It doesn't matter if these people are nice.  Or honest.  Kind.  As long as you have met them at least once and can claim an acquaintance with them.

Me?  I've long been a rebel.  I honestly couldn't give a shit to know most of the so-called "cream of society".  Why?  A lot of the ones I have met are not that nice.  They are selfish, dishonest people who are completely happy to throw you to the wolves while saving their own asses to gain financially -- or otherwise -- from doing so.

I have met a few from the "upper crust" who are great people.  Mostly because they don't behave as if they are moneyed or entitled in some way.  They are just genuine, kind people who had to earn what they now have.  The hard way -- with sweat and hard work.  Unlike many who had it passed down to them.

It truly disappoints me to know that Grande Prairie has changed so little in the last twenty years.  Visiting the high school made me acutely aware of this.  Why must we go around thinking we are more entitled than the next guy because of where we live?  How long we've been here?  How much money out mommies and daddies have?  How amazing so-and-so is simply because they are a front-runner in a little society -- yet are a terrible, mean-spirited person out of the public eye?

When will people understand this behaviour will carry on as long as those of us in the "middle" and "bottom" allow it to continue?

There is no equality in society.  Merely an hierarchy as old as the feudal days of the 15th century, with a touch of sentimental "equality" that is never realized.

The more things change; the more they stay the same.